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Last week while traveling in Amsterdam, I heard a story that stuck with me.
In 17th-century Holland, tulips weren’t just flowers, they were a frenzy. Imported from the Ottoman Empire, these exotic blooms were unlike anything Europe had seen. Their rarity made them fascinating. Their colors made them desirable. Their story made them status symbols.
At the height of “Tulip Mania,” one single bulb could sell for more than the price of a home. Then, just as quickly, the market crashed. But the lesson didn’t die with the bubble:
Perception is a powerful driver of demand.
History is full of products that soared, not because of what they did, but because of what they meant. Because of how they made people feel. Because of the story they told.
Let’s take a few examples:
- Apple’s iPhone: It wasn’t the first smartphone. But it looked different. It felt different. Apple didn’t just sell a phone—they sold sleekness, simplicity, and status. They sold the future.
- Starbucks: Coffee wasn’t the product. Culture was. They sold a lifestyle between work and home. A space to belong. A name on your cup that made you feel seen.
- NFTs: A Non-Fungible Token is a unique digital asset that represents ownership of something, like digital art, music, or virtual real estate. Most people didn’t understand them when they came out, and many still don’t. But people weren’t buying logic. They were buying exclusivity, community, and hype.
So whether you're launching a product, building a brand, or leading a team, here are a few strategies to engineer demand:
1. Sell Emotion, Not Just Function: People don’t buy features, they buy feelings. Confidence. Curiosity. Belonging. Make your offer more than useful—make it emotional.
2. Tell a Story That Sticks: Tulips were rare, but their narrative made them legendary. What’s the story behind what you offer? Why does it matter? Stories create meaning. Meaning drives value.
3. Leverage Scarcity and Social Proof: Humans chase what feels exclusive. We trust what others want. Use waitlists, testimonials, limited drops, and signals that say: This is in demand. You don't want to miss it.
4. Align With Identity: People don’t buy products, they buy better versions of themselves. Does your offer help them feel smarter, trendier, more responsible? Speak to who they want to become.
If you want to be irresistible in the marketplace, don’t just make something good.
Make it wanted.
Create desire. Craft a story. Engineer demand.
